Areas of Expertise

Featured Courses Taught:

• General Biology II
• Ecology
• Tropical Ecology Hawaii
• Southwest Ecology
• Research Capstone

Research Interests:

Cell wall development in plants - The growth of plants in outer space will be dependent on how plants respond to altered atmospheric pressure, gravity, and modified light. The purpose of Dr. Taylor's research is to further investigate the development of Arabidopsis plants at lower atmospheric pressure and distorted gravity by using a clinostat inside of a hypobaric chamber. Dr. Taylor is also working on a possible food supplement in the form of an algae that will work not only to provide protein and vitamins but also in air quality control by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and producing oxygen. These studies will give more insight to how plants and algae develop at lower pressure and in altered gravity which will provide a better understanding to how plants may develop during long-term space travel.